We can’t possibly tell you everything you need to know about taking a family vacation on a budget. After all, this is only a 60 page book! Granted, it’s a 60 page book packed with all sorts of valuable information, but even if we give you every single money-saving tip we can find, there are still some aspects of the family vacation that should be addressed so that everyone is having fun!
1. Purchase journals for your children – cheap notebooks – and give them fun pens so they can record their thoughts and experiences as you go through your travels. They’ll appreciate it later plus it keeps them busy!
2. Make a detailed, written budget, and stick to it! If you’ve budgeted $1,000 for food, be sure you’re going to be able to feed everyone the entire time for $1,000. It’ll save you a lot of stress and aggravation and you can make adjustments elsewhere if you find you’re close to going over budget.
3. ALWAYS ask for discounts. This may not be offered to you except you request for them. If they’re available, you should take advantage – for you and your vacation budget!
4. Once you've selected a destination, share copies of your travel brochures with your family. Then watch the excitement shoot up.
5. Create lists. Planning a family trip often bring up more questions than answers. Thanks to lists, however, you'll have the answers at your fingertips. Last-Minute List which to use before departing can include: "Don't Forget," "To Do," and "Pack Now." It saves time, and ensures non-replaceable essentials like medications and such aren’t left behind.
6. When traveling in the U.S., contact local tourism departments for free brochures and maps, and any money-saving coupons. Also contact the local Chambers of Commerce where you will be vacationing to see if they have any resident packets that might include valuable money-saving coupons and tips on where to visit.
7. Cruise the Internet for reduced prices on everything from lodging to airfare to car rentals to entertainment - and everything in between. Wherever your dream destination, you can point and click your way into an affordable, enjoyable vacation without ever leaving home.
8. Schedule some down time. Because family travel can be so expensive, parents often attempt to book as much activity in a day as humanly possible. Unfortunately, that whirlwind approach can be more tiresome than fun—for parents and children. One option: schedule a mid-day "rest stop" to unwind, or finish activities by 7 p.m.
9. When vacation is over, take time to regroup and reconnect. Coming home can be anti-climatic after spending days living out of suitcases and participating in new, exciting activities. After each trip, carve out a portion of the first day or two to unwind. Doing so will help everyone to gently return to your family's routine.
10. You may want to take a credit card along for safety and convenience. However, it is important to remember that credit should not be used as an extension of your income. No matter how much fun you had on a vacation, it’s never fun to still be paying it off years later. In fact, if you put at $2,000 vacation on your 18% interest credit card and make only the minimum monthly payments, it would take you more than 18 years to pay it off.
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